SINGAPORE - Businesses at Bugis Junction are reeling from the drastic drop in footfall since a cluster of Covid-19 cases emerged at the mall on Aug 24. Infections there ballooned to 246 on Thursday (Sept 2), from 20 cases initially. Business owners and employees at units ranging from clothing stores to restaurants said footfall had plummeted by about 90 per cent in the past week, despite measures such as deep cleaning and quarantining. Some shops have closed temporarily as it was not worth operating at present, or because employees had been infected with the virus. The manager of a clothing store, who gave his name only as Mr Eric, said this had been the worst drop in customers that he has seen this year. Ms Cheng Wei Li, 35, an employee at a gadget shop, also said footfall had been low. "Maybe it will get better after one or two weeks," she said in Mandarin. Mr Jaryl Foo, 22, who works at anime merchandise shop Otaku House, said he has seen close to zero sales in the past week. "People want to avoid this place now," he said. "At first I was very concerned about the cases as I am working here, but at least I am vaccinated." An employee who works at a food stall in the basement said...